Greetings Golfers,

You know how people always say that golf is like life? I agree, and we could make a million analogies. But the golf swing is also like life – here’s my latest analogy:

When I swing well, I loosen up my hold on the club… I don’t overreach on the backswing… I’m in control and relaxed at the top… I drop the club into position so that I can go after the ball… I accelerate the club through the ball into a long follow-through… and finish the swing in balance – poised and relaxed.

It’s the opposite with my bad swing. That’s when I squeeze the club… overreach on the backswing… am out of control at the top… panic and start the downswing too soon, which puts me in a poor position to hit the ball… so then I decelerate into a weak hit with a short, ugly follow-through… and obviously an off balanced, defeated finish.

You think that doesn’t sound like life? OMG. When I’m trusting life – I hold it gently… when I’m not – I’m too tough on everyone and the world, I micro-manage, I squeeze the joy out of living. Then instead of reaching back to do what I need to do… I overreach and take on too much – which leads to panicking, and then rushing, and then being too out of position to accelerate through my goal. Thus leading to not following through, and a defeated finish.

How about staying relaxed, trusting, not overreaching, being steady and relaxed at the top, dropping into the right position to accelerate through your goal, and then following through so you can end up with a beautiful finish?

You don’t think understanding your golf swing can help you understand your life?

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

I’m reading a book about Gurdjieff – the Russian mystic who claimed that most people go through life asleep and need to be awakened. Of course I’m reading this in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. I probably have things backward.

And the last few days I’ve also been reading the book – “A Course Called Ireland” by Tom Coyne. In his early 30’s, newly married, and not ready for fatherhood, our hero sets out to walk around the coast of Ireland to play golf as if the country of Ireland is one big golf course.

So, Tom Coyne is a dreamer, but lives his dream. I’m all for “waking up”, but I also think that day-dreaming is a good thing (in moderation). I play my best golf when I can day-dream my shot before I hit it. Don’t we need to day-dream to set goals and be creative?

I’ll admit that a lot of people live in la-la land and need a reality check. But most of us need a little more Tom Coyne in us to dream about how we really want to live … and then have the nerve to go do it.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

Greetings Golfers,

So while driving back from the PGA Show on a 6 lane freeway between Jacksonville and Savannah, I started thinking about how a golf course is a one lane freeway. A one lane freeway is what causes traffic jams on the golf course – it makes it pretty tough to pass. I know – you can hit up on a par 3 … yeah, yeah, yeah … but that doesn’t help much. It probably helps the group that went through, but the next group has probably caught up, and it’s jammed again.

You need all of the groups to play at a reasonable pace. If the golf course is full, this becomes vital. If a golf course has huge gaps, pace of play and playing through groups is easy. When we’re stuffed all day and still playing around 4:15 a round in the afternoon, I’m pretty pleased – sometimes pretty smug. Think about it – if you lose just 5 minutes an hour, by 2 PM you’d have lost 40 minutes, and that 5 hour round has snuck up on you … and if the course is full, it’s not fixable.

So, we need everybody to play at a 4 hour pace all day. That’s like everybody driving 60 mph on the freeway. Obviously some people want to drive 80, and others want to go 40 … but, our Rangers try to make them understand that 60 is what we expect and is FAIR. This isn’t easy. Some people have “serious” matches and if they lose a ball, the Rules of Golf allow 5 minutes to search. Some people are just really bad players. Some people are just in La-La Land and never ready to hit their shot.

I think a lot of the problem is that people just don’t know. Same thing on the freeway. So back to my story – we had 3 lanes going North to Savannah. The middle lane is to drive at the speed limit, the right lane to exit/enter the freeway, and the left lane to pass. Rocket science. Think it worked like that? Hardly … cars were passing on the right … driving slow in the left, and then criss-crossing … and then all bunching up in a cluster. Mind-boggling. But why should I care? Driving 70 mph in a metal box … there’s no risk involved. Think about this: the golf course with people swinging metal sticks, hitting rock-hard balls 200 mph, and driving golf carts all over … that’s safe compared to being on the freeway with those maniacs.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Live! From Orlando, Florida – the PGA Golf Show!

Well, not exactly “live”, I’m writing this on Thursday night and you’ll get it on Friday morning. But hey – it’s a pretty good opener.

My favorite part of the Show is talking to the people who are passionate about what they do. There’s the guy who built a ‘magic” putter in his garage and can’t wait to tell you all about it. Then, there’s Rick Martin who’s been designing beautiful shirts forever (he founded Fairway & Greene) and now has a new company – he’s still really into it. Or Martin Dingman … or … Scott Barber … these are the guys who’s name is the company and they couldn’t be more passionate about what their doing. Or the crazy guys at Bogey Pro (passionate and crazy).

After the first day of the Show, some of us sat around the lobby of the Rosen Hotel solving all the world’s problems and the problems of the golf biz. I’ll only share our solutions to solving the problems of the golf biz … I’m saving the solutions to solving the world’s problems for a world-wide press conference later today.

Here’s what we figured out about the golf business: it’s not about initiatives and wide arching plans … those of us running golf courses have to be passionate. We have to be deadly serious about being passionate about having fun. How ridiculous of a statement is that? But yet, how true!

That’s it … I have to get some sleep and be ready for round 2 of The Show.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

The Holidays are over. I survived, but probably gained 100 lbs. (that’s why I don’t have a scale). Though I don’t know how much weight I gained, I do know that I need to get in shape.

I just read an article about Gary Player. He’s 75 years old and does a 1000 sit-ups every morning … and 1000 push-ups … and swims … and runs stairs … and meditates. Did the article inspire me? Not so much – depressed is probably more accurate. But it did make me aware that I have to start now to get ready for the golf season.

So, are you ready? Are your clubs ready? Regripped, etc. How about you? Don’t go crazy, but maybe a few sit-ups and push-ups would be good. And get those legs in shape – long walks can do wonders.

Hit a few a balls at some of the indoor ranges. And do a lot of chipping. Chip in the house – improve your feel of the club and making contact – that’s the best thing you can do for your golf game.

It doesn’t have to be all hard work. Take a break and watch the PGA Tour on TV. Have you seen the new Rory – Tiger ad? It’s pretty incredible.

Hope you’re inspired.
Cheers,

Tom Abts

Greetings Y’all,

I’m down in South Carolina doing research for the betterment of golf, and also for the golfers of Deer Run Golf Club. You can thank me later.

For example, a few days ago, I gave a lesson to a young SC golf pro. Just because he’s a better player than I am, doesn’t mean he shouldn’t ask for my help. Do you think that Tiger Woods’ teachers are better players than he is? And just because he’s a better player, that doesn’t mean that you and he don’t have the same problems.

Back to my lesson. This talented young man was lining up right of his target. With that set-up, either he can make a good swing and hit the ball right of his target, or he can come-over-the-top and pull the ball at his target. This is not conducive to consistent, good shots.

Here’s another example of my sacrifice for the betterment of the game and DRGC: Yesterday, I played golf with a good friend and noticed he was lining up right of his target. Because we weren’t playing for any money, I kindly pointed out the error of his ways (his alignment).

Lining up right of the target is very common. People think that they should line up their feet at their target. Not so. They should line up their feet left of their target. You need to line up enough left, so that you have enough room to swing out at your target. You heard me – swing OUT at your target.

You’re welcome. I’ll continue on my road of sacrifice.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Did you ever read Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy? I’m reading the sequel: The Kingdom of Shivas Irons.

Murphy was/is a maniac. A golf maniac and just a bottom line eccentric guy in search of meaning and spirituality. He’s probably now in his 80’s, grew up around San Francisco, majored in Philosophy at Stanford, and founded the Esalen Institute.

Remember the scene in Caddyshack when Chevy Chase wears the blindfold to hit shots and then has Danny try it while Chevy is advising him to “be the ball?” Well, they were making fun of Golf in the Kingdom. And how about Bill Murray in the same movie, talking about caddying for the Dalai Lama? Murphy was the guy who brought the spiritual side of golf to the mass market.

But in 1908 – way before Michael Murphy’s books – Arnold Haultain wrote The Mystery of Golf. Haultain says, “There is no other game in which these three fundamental factors – the physiological, the psychological, and the social or moral are so intimately combined or called into play”. Wow. That’s pretty out there.

Yeah, golf is out there. It is spiritual/mystical. And Murphy and Haultain were right – the mystery is an essential part of the game.

Golf is a fun game. We’ve always emphasized that at Deer Run. But it’s also a mystical experience. That’s why our new image captures the original Scottish/Celtic magic. Take a look at www.DeerRunGolf.com/2013.htm

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

I’m really on a roll. Thirteen years ago, I survived Y2K… and last week I survived the 12-21-12 Mayan prophecy of doom… hope you did too. Now I just have to survive Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve.

Speaking of the New Year, we at DRGC have been diligently at work to bring you an even better DRGC in 2013. Already in the works are plans to provide a variety of tasty, local food and beverages. Look for cool breads, cheeses, meats, beers – even wine – from the area. As you know, this is the trend, and I think it’s great. Everybody’s worried about what they eat. It just makes sense to eat real food. Real butter is better for you than margarine, real bread is healthier than wonder bread … you know what I mean.

Speaking of better. We rebuilt the bunker on hole #16. It turned out better than what we hoped for – it’s really good. Also, we landscaped around the putting green. Probably the best way to describe it is the word “sexy”.

Speaking of sexy… we will have a new fleet of golf carts in 2013. Brand new, metallic red, EZGo carts with bucket seats and all of the toys – too good to be true.

Glad that the Mayans were wrong.

Happy New Year,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Can’t believe that it’s almost Christmas. They say that time goes faster as you get older – but this is ridiculous.

So, let’s slow down and enjoy the Holiday Season. Now is the time to be thankful, thoughtful, warm, and generous.

2012 was a wonderful year. Thank you for your love and support.

Merry Christmas,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

I’m reading a fun book called: AMERICAN NATIONS by Colin Woodard. It’s about how America is way more divided than most people realize, and what the roots of those divisions are.

Throughout the book, Woodard is always referring to how areas settled, and that’s why those areas vote the way they do. He’s pretty obsessed with politics. At the end of the book he goes on a wild rant where he “explains” why we’d be better off if the country broke apart – he really hates some parts of the country.

It’s great history and great sociology… I don’t agree with all of it, but I learned a lot, and that stuff really interests me. People really interest me. Why people are different is fascinating. Obviously, climate and natural resources greatly influence how a culture develops. People of different countries moved to similar physical areas in America, and brought their culture with them. The “melting pot” never really melted.

But not only are people different, they’re also similar… of course, but it gets forgotten. We make friends with people we feel comfortable with, and usually that’s on socio-economic ground. That’s understandable – but can be pretty limiting.

Being in the people business, I meet a huge variety of people. I enjoy most of the people I meet – you can’t fake it in my business, you’d be dead after a week. But, there are people I don’t like because they’re jerks (I would use another term, but this is a family column. If fact, I wanted our club logo to be a picture of that term, and have a line drawn through it – “no a-holes”).

How do you define a jerk (or that other term)? It’s sort of like the judge who defined pornography by saying “I know it when I see it”. I think we all know them when we get to know them. Here’s the defining characteristic: we all sometimes act like jerks, but we usually realize it and feel bad about it. The jerk, realizes it, and doesn’t care, or even enjoys being a jerk!

So, America is made up of many peoples. Deer Run welcomes them all – except the jerks.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com